Tapping PHX
Some of us old-timers remember the craft beer desert the Valley of the Sun once was. It was the late 1990s. We had a smattering of brewpub chains like Alcatraz and Rock Bottom, a local legend in Four Peaks and… that was about it. Enjoy your Heineken.

How times have changed. Riding the local-first maker culture trending nationwide, Phoenix started seeing the kind of craft beer activity befitting the nation’s fourth-largest city. We now boast 47 breweries, with more on the way. So let’s get tappin’.

The Beer According to Rob
Arizona Craft Brewers Guild president Rob Fullmer singled out three interesting trends in Valley brew-smithery.1. Arizona malting
Two in-development malt facilities (one in Casa Grande, one in the Verde Valley) means brewers can start sourcing grains from within the state.2. Satellite taprooms
AZ brewers “are finally getting serious marketing to two different markets.” To wit: Tucson-based Barrio Brewing’s new Mesa taproom.3. Collaborations
Not just collaborative brews, Fullmer says, but co-marketing efforts like the “Beermuda Triangle” beer crawl in central Phoenix. Creating such “micro-identities is really important.”

Essential AZ Six-Pack

With more than a thousand different craft beers produced in Arizona, the selection can be overwhelming. Here are our half-dozen picks – all available in cans – that we believe constitute the ideal, most balanced Arizona six-pack. — Jess Harter

Lumberyard Brewing Co.
Knotty Pine
West Coast Pale Ale
5.4% ABV / 50 IBU
Coming off its third-place finish in the highly competitive American Pale Ale category at the 2016 World Beer Cup, this hoppy Flagstaff favorite has proven it has few peers.lumberyardbrewingcompany.com

Prescott Brewing Co.
Achocolypse
Chocolate Porter
5.6% ABV / 29 IBU
Imagine a hot fudge sundae in a pint glass and you’ll have a good idea what to expect from this dark and complex treat that’s surprisingly light on the palate.prescottbrewingcompany.com

Dragoon Brewing Co.
IPA
West Coast IPA
7.3% ABV / 83 IBU
Unlike its tamer East Coast cousins, this floral and citrusy IPA from Tucson embraces the dank bitterness of five kinds of hops countered by a minimal malt profile.dragoonbrewing.com

O.H.S.O. Brewery + Distillery
Gin & Bear It
Besides several variations of its popular Lost Viking porter, the brewery/distillery will introduce a Belgian Golden Strong Ale aged in red wine barrels previously used for its gin.
Four Valley locations, ohsobrewery.com

Craft 64
Sweet Lovin’
The latest addition to the artisan pizzeria’s growing roster of house beers, brewed under contract at SunUp Brewery, will be a fall/winter porter with coffee, chocolate and cinnamon.
6922 E. Main St., Scottsdale, 480-946-0542, craft64.com

The Perch Brewery
Storming the Castle
The small brewery known for its often unusual creations is working on a Bière de Garde – a rich, malty French farmhouse ale with just a hint of hop bitterness.
232 S. Wall St., Chandler, 480-773-7688, perchpubbrewery.com

25 To Try Right now!

An artful blending of perennial Arizona classics and special fall releases, this list curated by beer writers Jess Harter and Michael Lauersdorf is sure
to whet your whistle.

12 West Brewing Co.
Midnight Run Coffee Stout
5.3% ABV / 30 IBU
Coffee + beer = cool-weather bliss, and Gilbert’s 12 West has created something special. Creamy, roasty and downright quaffable, this oatmeal stout is perfect any time of day – even breakfast (it is a coffee beer, after all).12westbrewing.com

Borderlands Brewing Co.—Citrana Wild Ale.

Borderlands Brewing Co.
Citrana Wild Ale
4% ABV/No IBU
Brewed with citrus zest and juice, this tart gose from the idiosyncratic Tucson brewer was the first competent sour beer to emerge from Arizona, and it’s still the best – earthy, effervescent and just a little funky. borderlandsbrewing.com

Borderlands Brewing Co.
Toole Ave IPA
6% ABV / 65 IBU
A second beer for Borderlands? Yessum. Named after the street on which the brewery resides, it’s a great take on the current IPA haze craze with its spot-on cloudy appearance, ripe citrus juiciness and balanced hop bitterness. borderlandsbrewing.com

McFate brewing Co. — Candy Bar Milk Stout.

Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co.
Picacho Pecan Pie Brown Ale
6.6% ABV / 25 IBU
Released every Halloween at the Gilbert brewery in bottles and on draft, this nutty creation is brewed with whole pecan pies and dry-hopped with local pecans and vanilla beans. A truly fantastic fall beer.azwbeer.com

Historic Brewing Co.
Piehole Porter
6.0% / 20 IBU
Imagine cherry pie in a glass. A worldwide vanilla shortage forced the Flagstaff brewery to suspend distribution of its flagship beer, leaving it available only at its taproom. If you can get some, savor it.historicbrewingcompany.com

SanTan Brewing Co.
Count Hopula IPA
9.1% ABV / 99 IBU
This “blood red” cult classic was semi-retired to the Chandler brewery’s Vault Series a couple years ago, but rises from the dead each September in small quantities. Watch out for its bite!santanbrewing.com

McFate Brewing Co.
Candy Bar Milk Stout
5.8% ABV / 25 IBU
Inspired by peanut butter cup candy, this popular seasonal, which debuted in 2013, always draws long lines of growler-toting fans. For the first time, the Scottsdale brewery will also sell it in cans this year.mcfatebrewing.com

Barrio Brewing Co.
Mocha Java Stout
5.5% ABV / 28 IBU
The Tucson brewery’s creamy nitro stout is brewed with locally roasted espresso and cold-steeped with cocoa, oats and lactose. Not nearly as sweet as its name suggests, it pairs well with almost any dessert.barriobrewing.co

Superstition Meadery
Blueberry Spaceship Box
6% ABV / 0 IBU
The Prescott mead maestros strike again, but this time with the No. 1 cider in the world, according to RateBeer.com, a reputable beer-scoring website. Intense berries and honey mingle well with Washington apples, resulting in a pleasantly sweet and tart flavor profile.superstitionmeadery.com

Grand Canyon Brewing Co.
Pumpkin Springs Porter
5.8% / 32 IBU
Named for a famous pumpkin-shaped, orange-tinted pond along the Colorado River, this seasonal from the Williams brewery is brewed not only with pumpkin, but also sweet potatoes and squash. A true gourdfest. grandcanyonbrewery.com

Dark Sky Brewing Co.
Son of Dankenstein
5.6% ABV / 45 IBU
Yup, another IPA. But this name was just too good to pass up before Halloween. Like most of Dark Sky’s creative names and beers, this hoppy haze bomb is legit. Check with the Flagstaff brewery on availability.darkskybrewing.com

Four Peaks Brewing Company production manager and director of operations James Roper.

Four Peaks Brewing Co.
Double Pumpkin Porter
8.3% ABV / 9 IBU
Pumpkin Porter fans are in for something “gourd.” This imperial version of Arizona’s best-selling seasonal boasts bigger flavors, aromas and body, along with a spike in ABV. Look for it this fall at the brewery in limited quantities. fourpeaks.com

Wanderlust Brewing Co.
928 Local Farmhouse Ale
8% ABV / 25 IBU
A nod to the Flagstaff area code, 928 Local does AZ proud with this Belgian farmhouse-style ale that features a little funk from the locally cultured “wild” yeast, a hint of spice and several pounds of local honey. wanderlustbrewing.com

Oak Creek Brewing Co.
Nut Brown Ale
5.5% ABV / 30 IBU
Sedona’s flagship beer holds a special place in the collective heart of longtime AZ beer lovers, and has graced many a kegerator. A smooth body, nutty toffee notes and a hint of spice make it a fine example of the style.oakcreekbrew.com

Huss Brewing Co.
Rice Pudding Porter
5.1% ABV / 30 IBU
The Tempe brewery’s seasonal spiced porter has all the flavors of fall and winter – including cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves – as well as a little chocolate, coffee and dark fruit. Look for it in mid-October.hussbrewing.com

Mother Road Brewing Co.
Tower Station IPA
7.3% ABV / 70 IBU
Named for a landmark 1936 building on Route 66 (AKA, the Mother Road), the Flagstaff brewery’s unfiltered, copper-colored beer has aromas of tangerine and pineapple. One of Arizona’s finest IPAs. motherroadbeer.com

Wren House Brewing Co.
Pie Thief
10.0% ABV / No IBU
The Phoenix brewery’s pumpkin wheat wine is a flavor bomb of roasted pumpkin, cinnamon and allspice. Like last year, there also will be a version aged in whiskey barrels for nearly a year. wrenhousebrewing.com

What’s an IBU?
That would be an “international bitterness unit,” made fashionable by IPA zealots obsessed with the ever-expanding hops content of that particular style. But it’s a useful gauge for non-IPA beers, too.

Goldwater Brewing Co.

Two Brothers

Craft 64.

Valley Beer Trail Guide

To paraphrase the old saying: A rising tide of Double IPA lifts all boats. Organize a craft brewery safari with this illustrated breakout of the Valley’s best beer ‘hoods.

Once Cider Corps is up and brewing later this year, downtown Mesa will boast easily the densest, most walkable trifecta of breweries in the Valley. Downtown Mesa: Not just for
missionaries and war memorabilia buffs anymore!

Old Town Scottsdale’s tightly clustered trio of craft breweries includes Craft 64, recently named a Top 10 Valley pizzeria by PHOENIX dining critic Nikki Buchanan. Get goofy with a game of Cards Against Humanity at Two Brothers.

The only Valley pub crawl with its own website (beermudaphx.com), this confederation of esteemed Central Phoenix breweries encompasses a tidy, 6-mile loop. Pro tip: Visit Wandering Tortoise, a spectacular beer bar on Indian School Road across the street from Helton, and make it a quad.

Suddenly a craft beer hot spot, the Shea/Scotts-dale area ceremonially became a “crawl” with the opening of Mesquite River Brewing this year. If they have it, try McFate Strawberry Milk Shake. It tastes unmistakably of strawberry Quik.

That Barrio to Uncle Bear’s leg is a haul, but the total mileage is actually less than that of the West Valley crawl. The Caveat: Old Ellsworth doesn’t open until winter.

Cider Corps’ Prickly Pear Hopped.

New Breweries in 2017

How fast is Arizona’s craft beer community expanding? Ten new brewers will have opened in 2017 by the time fall rolls around.

Dillinger Brewing Co.
University of Arizona graduates Eric Sipe and Eric Rosas rang in 2017 with their strip-mall brewery and minimalist, 50-seat taproom, named for the former Public Enemy No. 1 who was famously once arrested in Tucson.
3895 N. Oracle Rd., Tucson, 520-207-2312, dillingerbrewing.com

Lochiel Brewing
Using old family recipes for Scottish-, Irish- and English-style ales, Ian Cameron launched east Mesa’s first brewery and taproom near Superstition Springs Center mall in late January. Phase two will include a full kitchen.
7143 E. Southern Ave., Mesa, 480-666-0915, lochielbrewing.com

Copper Mine Brewing Co.
Owners Jeff Kaber and Jeremy Pie pay tribute to one of the historical “Five Cs” of Arizona’s economy with their Tucson brewery and taproom, which opened on a county island near Kino Sports Complex in late February.
3455 S. Palo Verde Rd., Tucson, 520-333-6140, copperminebrewing.com

BlackRock Brewers
Tony Williams and Chuck Boyer founded east Tucson’s first brewery and taproom in April, bringing in Gene Sandoval from Tucson-based home-brewing company Mr. Beer as head brewer.
1664 S. Research Loop, Tucson, 520-207-3203, blackrockbrewers.com

Old Ellsworth Brewing Co.
Chandler couple Brian and Chris McKean, along with Chris’ brother, Ryan Bostrom, opened Queen Creek’s first brewery, including a full kitchen, in the former Manhattan Vine building in July.
22005 S. Ellsworth Rd., Queen Creek, 480-433-0651, oldellsworthbrewing.com

Button Brew House
A unique Chiltepín Red Ale, brewed with spicy Sonoran chiltepíns (hot peppers) and fresh lime peel, will be the flagship beer at Todd and Erika Button’s brewery and taproom, scheduled to open in mid-August just north of Tucson.
6800 N. Camino Martin, Marana, 520-268-8543, button.beer

Flying Basset Brewing
Rob Gagnon and Sara Cotton hope to open their Gilbert brewpub – named for his profession (commercial pilot) and the couple’s Basset hounds (Lieutenant Dan and Angela Basset) – in an old Famous Sam’s building in October.
720 W. Ray Rd., Gilbert, 602-614-7704, flyingbassetbrewing.com

Dead Heat Brewing Co.
Andy Weiner and Keith Chapman aren’t even revealing what month Fountain Hills’ first brewery, which will be located next to the town’s Fry’s Food & Drug, is expected to launch, but look for it before the end of the year.
14825 E. Shea Blvd., Fountain Hills

The Swag
Brewing Arizona by Ed Sipos ($35)
Beer historian Ed Sipos’ exhaustive catalog of Arizona breweries is any local beer connoisseur’s best friend. Brewing Arizona reveals the story of Arizona’s beer brewing industry from the pre-Prohibition era to modern craft breweries. brewingarizona.com

After Jason (left) was injured by an IED while serving in Afghanistan, he and his brother, Josh (right), began making cider as therapy for his PTSD. Reviews of their subtly sweet, fruit-based brews were so positive there’s already a waiting list for restaurants that want to carry their products. The brothers are debuting the Valley’s first full-fledged cider house and taproom (cidercorpsaz.com) in downtown Mesa in November. We must admit: Their story makes for a hell of an elevator pitch. “We’re [the country’s first] veteran-owned and -operated craft cider company,” Josh says.

Verde Brewing Co.
This self-described “farm-to-mug” brewpub uses locally sourced ingredients, from the honey in its Off to Jail pale ale to the beef in its burgers.
325 S. Main St., Camp Verde, 928-567-7033, verdebrewing.com

Craft beer is big business. According to industry sources, craft brew accounted for 12.3 percent of the beer industry’s total U.S. market share in 2016, more than double the 5.7 percent figure in 2011. Little wonder so many beer-centric bars and growler-fill gas stations are popping up all over the Valley – and so many liquor stores are converting into specialty bottle shops.

Kings Convenience in central Phoenix offers an interesting case study. Once a typical neighborhood smokes-and-suds liquor store, it now boasts a formidable selection of local and national craft beer brands. Owner Mickey Salem stays on top of what’s trending, and creates special pricing programs targeted at savvy beer consumers. Keenly aware of the craft beer enthusiast’s penchant for experimentation, Salem likes to constantly flood his inventory with new beers – up to 30 percent of his stock changes in any given month. “Our customers like the variety,” Salem says. “It’s just a huge difference from a few years ago.” – Mike Lauersdorf

Thirsty yet?
Check out one of these bomb bottle shops and beer bars around town.

Tempe
Tops Liquors
The OGs of the AZ craft beer scene since 1981, the Eccles family stocks top ales from floor to ceiling and runs the beloved Taste of Tops beer bar next door. Still the gold standard of Valley bottle shops.
403 W. University Dr., Tempe, 480-967-5643, topsliquors.com

Central Phoenix
Kings Convenience
Come for the regal bottle selection, leave with a growler or crowler (a can/growler hybrid, sealed onsite) from one of 54 taps. And look for Kings’ new craft bar to debut next door any day.
2811 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, 602-265-1777, facebook.com/kingsbeerwine/

East Valley
Gilbert Convenience Mart (GCM)
One of the state’s first liquor stores to cash in on the craft boom back in 2010, the Hanna family-owned GCM excels at making beer geeks happy. Arizona-centric growler station and robust selection of prestige crafts make it a must-visit.
118 N. Gilbert Rd., Gilbert, 480-926-4478, facebook.com/gcm.liquor.3

Scottsdale
Papago Brewing Co.
Wait, a brewery on the bottle shop list? It’s got a glorious selection of refrigerated bottles and cans from the world over, and a fun mix-and-match six-pack program so you can try new things.
7107 E. McDowell Rd., Scottsdale, 480-425-7439, papagobrewing.com

West Valley
Henry’s
The bottle shop sitch is shameful –shameful, we say! – west of the I-17. The one saving grace: this venerable drive-thru in the northwest Valley.
3439 W. Cactus Rd., Phoenix, 602-863-0585

The Wandering Tortoise
Mosey on over to this happening Biltmore-area hangout for 21 rotating taps, beer-geek-worthy special events and chill vibes.
2417 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, 602-441-3490, facebook.com/thewanderingtortoise16

Craft 64
Craft 64 likes to keep it local. Nestled in Old Town Scottsdale, all 36 tap handles showcase Arizona beers plus the wood-fired pies are on point. If you want a crash course in AZ beer, this is the place.
6922 E. Main St., Scottsdale, 480-946-0542, craft64.com

When the couple took over long-closed Rio Salado Brewing Company in south Tempe in 2013 to open their brewery and taproom, they were already respected players in the Arizona beer scene – Jeff had just wrapped up seven years as a brewer at BJ’s Brewhouse in Chandler and Leah was general manager and part-owner of Papago Brewing Co.’s beloved South Scottsdale taproom. In 2017, however, they took it to a new level. The popularity of Huss beers like Scotts-dale Blonde and Koffee Kölsch – along with the acquisition of Papago’s brands last September and the April opening of a second Huss taproom at Uptown Plaza in Phoenix – have made Huss the third-largest brewery in the state, behind Four Peaks and SanTan. But don’t look for the brewery to begin distribution out of state anytime soon. ‘‘We’re laying down roots in Arizona,’’ Jeff says.

Favorite food and beer pairing: Both go gaga for the moderate hop profile of a pale ale – Jeff likes his with “Chicago-style pizza,” while Leah prefers it with Thai food.

Biggest challenge facing Arizona craft beer: “It is not as mature as other states. We are just now hitting our stride with growth and quality. We have a long way to go, but we have also come so far,” Leah says.

The Swag
Adirondack chairs ($750)
What happens to a wine, whiskey or beer barrel after it serves its purpose? Send it to Jalisco for tequila barreling or to Shawn Simmons, who crafts it into sturdy convo pieces. The Willcox-based maker also sells tap handles, wine racks and more.bootlegbarrelcraft.com

After graduating from Northern Arizona University in 1984, Arnold spent several years pursuing his brewing dreams south of the border. “I was a part of a group of guys in San Diego who all wanted to open breweries,” he recalls. “We smuggled stainless steel and such [across] the Tijuana border and built brewery systems and then legally imported them.” Eventually, he and wife Tauna launched Gentle Ben’s Brewing Co. near the University of Arizona campus in Tucson and, in 2006, a much larger brewpub they called Barrio Brewing Co. south of downtown. In 2015, Arizona passed a new law allowing breweries to open up to seven retail locations – which Arnold quickly exploited by opening a 12-handle taproom with a full kitchen at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, making it the first Arizona brewery with locations in the state’s two largest markets.

Mother Road Brewing Co.
Grab a pint of Tower Station, one of Arizona’s best IPAs, and grub from Pizzicletta, the pizzeria next door, at this downtown brewery and taproom.
7 S. Mikes Pike St., Flagstaff, 928-774-9139, motherroadbeer.com

Brewhead baseball caps ($28)
Based in Mesa, Brewhead is the Valley’s online beer swag store of record. Choose from six baseball caps, each designed with a different logo or color scheme, for a wide variety
that any Arizona beer (or hat) lover would enjoy.thebrewheads.com/collections/hats

Mario Rana. State 48 Brewery.

Mario Rana
State 48 Brewery

As owner of Angela’s Kitchen in Sun City Grand and, until recently, part-owner of Il Capo Pizzeria in Scottsdale, Rana knows the importance of complementing good food with good beer. ‘‘We have always had an amazing craft beer selection at all of our restaurants, supporting other breweries,’’ he says. In 2016, Rana and his wife, Angela, decided to cross over by opening the first brewery in the city of Surprise. ‘‘The success of our restaurants helped to gain capital to start our own brewery,’’ Rana says. ‘‘[It’s] been 10 years in the making.’’ Their next one won’t take nearly as long: The Ranas recently announced a second, larger State 48 will open in the historic Welnick Building at Van Buren Street and Fourth Avenue in Downtown Phoenix in January 2018.

What’s the difference between a micro-brewery and a nano-brewery?
Mystique? A microbrewery is defined as a brewery that produces less than 15,000 barrels a year. (Four Peaks produces about 80,000, for reference.) A nanobrewery is only defined as a “very small” brewery.

The SwagBrewkit ($80-$200)
Brew your own beer and cider right from home with BYOB’s locally made brew system. The basic kit comes with two 6.5-gallon primary fermenter and bottling buckets, along with 10 other necessities.brewyourownbrew.com

We tipped a glass with the microbrewery trailblazer, who now runs three O.H.S.O. restaurants in the Valley and an outpost at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

How long have you been brewing professionally?
I started home-brewing in 1991, quit, then started again [around 1998]. Most of my beers turned out OK, but I hired the right people to brew for me. We opened O.H.S.O. in 2011.

What was the beer that changed your perspective about craft beer and made you interested in brewing?
I really fell in love with craft brew in ’97 and ’98 when I went to Europe… I went to Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Budapest. I don’t really remember the brand name, but it was a Flemish beer, Flemish red. It was like a sour, almost, a wild sour. It was very popular in the northern part of Belgium. I remember being like, “This is beer? Wow!” I didn’t know beer could taste like that.

O.H.S.O. stands for Outrageous Homebrewers Social Outpost. Does it live up to the name?
We were homebrewers trying to figure out how to do this thing. We wanted it to be a hangout. We wanted people to brew their own beer. We wanted it to be a communal brewing thing – homebrewers do it in someone’s garage or backyard, then have a beer and relax.

You’ve expanded into distilling vodka, gin, rum, whiskey and bourbon. why the jump?
I wanted to get into distilling once I found out I had some issues with beer. I thought, heck, I got to have something to drink. I had crazy sinus issues that would swell up when I drank beer… so I thought, let’s make spirits.

The Brew You

Sometimes, beer people can be the worst. You know the type: hops snobs who turn their noses up at “weak” lagers and “girly” hefeweizens. Spare me. I’m a girl, yes, and I do love a good hefe, but that shouldn’t keep me from joining the good beer party.

Thank goodness for O.H.S.O. and its equal opportunity beer education. The Brew With Us classes at its Arcadia location are for everyone – snooty IPA and Imperial stout homebrewers and Natty Ice keg-standers alike – and the beer you make will actually be sold on tap to brewery patrons four to six weeks from the day you make it. Arizona Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema is a fan, with creations of Bipartisan Cold Brew stout and A Cure for What Ales Congress pomegranate pale ale recently on tap.

For $50, brewers Matt Flanagan and Dave Burke walk participants through a live, four-hour brewing session in which the students call the shots. Usually, the brewers will pick the type of beer ahead of time – IPA, amber, stout, saison, etc. – but let the guest make key decisions of flavoring. I brewed a wheat beer and agreed to hints of coconut and lime after being calmly directed away from dreams of kiwi and passionfruit. (Apparently, those flavors can get overpowered by the wheat.)

The “work” basically has me pouring several buckets of malt (usually barley) into warm water in metal kettles big enough to hold two of me, and stirring the warm, musty mush with a big spatula I assume some fraternities would like for hazing purposes. While we wait for the mixture to boil and do its thing, Dave lets me sample different types of malts that range in flavor from vaguely sweet Cheerios to bitter burnt caramel. He shows me the back fermenting room where the yeast will later work its magic before tapping.

Here’s where I admit that he threw a lot of science at me and I may have tuned out, silently brainstorming raunchy beer names. But not to worry – at these classes, you can be as involved as you’d like, sampling beer and throwing in a few hops when the time comes or asking questions about IBUs and ABVs to your heart’s content. Best yet, you get a $50 gift certificate at the end of the class to buy your own beer back. So basically: free beer.

— Lauren Loftus

Iconic Arizona Dishes & Arizona Brews
In January 2013, we spotlighted a handful of iconic Arizona restaurant dishes and persuaded their creators to divulge their recipes. For this beer guide, we checked back in with them to see which Arizona brews they’d pair with their masterpieces.

Grilled Long Beans at FnB with Mother Road Brewing Co. Kölsch Style Ale
Chef Charleen Badman retired her famous leeks, but you can experience a similar eggy veggie nirvana with her grilled long beans with feta, pea leaves, preserved lemon and cured duck yolk. “I always look for a refreshing, crisp beer when I am pairing with food,” Badman says. “The Kölsch also has a lemon flavor that echoes the preserved lemon vin in the dish. The feta adds some fat and the dry finish of the Kölsch brings balance all around.”fnbrestaurant.com

OMFG Salad at The Gladly & Citizen Public House with Four Peaks Brewing Co. Sunbru
“Typically Kölsch ales go well with the herbaceous qualities of the dish, especially with the citrus notes in the OMFG Salad,” Chef Bernie Kantak says of his signature chopped salad, which unites rows of smoked salmon, freeze-dried corn, arugula, Israeli couscous, black currants, toasted pepitas, asiago and Roma tomatoes with a basil-buttermilk dressing. “Plus, this beer is bold enough to stand up to the nuttiness and smokiness of the salmon, too. It’s really a great combination.”omfgsalad.com

Hanger Steak at Christopher’s/Crush Lounge with Four Peaks Brewing Co. Kilt Lifter
“The full-bodied Scottish-style ale would match up perfectly with the full flavor of a rare or medium-rare hanger steak, seasoned with smoke from the grill,” Chef Christopher Gross says of his Gallic mainstay, a gussied-up take on an oft-discarded cut. “This beer would enhance the sweetness of the sautéed shallots, and its rich, full flavor would complement the deep flavors of the reduced red wine and bone marrow sauce.”christophersaz.com

Carne Adovada at Los Dos Molinos with Four Peaks Brewing Co. Kilt Lifter
“The hoppy beers, they pair well with any spicy dish,” Los Dos co-owner Dominique De La Paz says of her choice to pair her family’s favorite Arizona brew with their trademark roasted pork, redolent with scorching chiles. “The hoppiness, that bitterness, actually has a cooling effect and helps to put out that heat as well.”losdosmolinosphoenix.com

Chiles en Nogada at Barrio Café with Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. White Canyon Blonde Stout
Barrio Café manager Antonio Cruz says he’d pair Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza’s chicken-, fruit- and nut-stuffed chile with Wilderness’ nontraditional light-colored stout. “The roasted chocolate notes really cut through the delicate almond cream sauce of the nogada and help the tongue enjoy the flavors of every bite. We feel it brings out the best flavors of both the entrée and the beer.”barriocafe.com

— Leah LeMoine

Beer-Trippin'

Tucson

Dragoon Brewing Co.
Purveyor of one of the state’s top IPAs (see page101), this venerable brewery (circa mid-1990s) also has a first-rate cask program. A good starting point.
1859 W. Grant Rd., 520-329-3606, dragoonbrewing.com

Iron John’s Brewing Co.
Located a bit east of the downtown/Congress nightlife district, it’s well worth the diversion, brewing some of the state’s top sours and exotics.
245 S. Plumer Ave., 520-775-1727, ironjohnsbrewing.com

Pueblo Vida Brewing Co.
Located in a repurposed warehouse just steps south of Borderlands, this newbie is generating buzz for its pale ales and European malts.
115 E. Broadway Blvd., 520-623-7168, pueblovidabrewing.com

Helio Basin Brewing Co.

Best Brewery Food
Come for the beer, stay for the legit comestibles.

The Phoenix Ale Brewery Central Kitchen
Three words, carb lovers: mashed potato pizza. Executive chef Brad Borchardt – who trained under Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller – and his team churn out cast-iron pizzas, handcrafted sandwiches (try the house-made pastrami Reuben or grilled pimento cheese) and mains that would not be out of place in a steakhouse, like the humbly named but richly executed Steak ‘N’ Taters, which pairs prime flat iron steak with red bliss mashed potatoes and Ironwood Porter mushroom gravy.
5813 N. Seventh St., Phoenix, 602-313-8713, centralkitchenaz.com

Four Peaks Brewing Co.
They may have gone national, but Four Peaks still keeps it local and house-made in the kitchen, with longtime favorites like beer bread (loaded with meat or veggies), 8th Street Pale Ale chicken strips and the Oatmeal Stout shake holding fast even as chef-y new items and specials are worked into the rotation.
Four Valley locations, fourpeaks.com

“Lawd yes,” say craft brew pros. The can is the superior beer delivery system, by virtue of its impermeability. Less light, fresher beer. On the other hand, bottles stay cold longer than cans.

Beer-Trippin'

Mogollon Rim/White Mountains

THAT Brewery & Pub
Celebrate the great outdoors with an elk and buffalo burger and an Arizona Trail Ale on the rustic patio. THAT also has a location in Cottonwood.
3270 AZ Hwy. 87, Pine, 928-476-3349, thatbrewery.com

Black Horse Brewery
This farm-garage-turned-brewery, which eventually added a taproom called The Hole in the Wall, specializes in old German beer recipes, including Black Stallion black lager.
1058 Burton Rd., Show Low, 928-537-9349, blackhorsebrewery.org

Is Arizona A Good Beer State?
By Zach Fowle

California, Colorado, Oregon, North Carolina – all have long been considered craft beer destinations. Should Arizona be on that list?

If we’re talking pure numbers, the Grand Canyon State’s pretty mediocre when it comes to craft beer. The 86 breweries Arizona had in operation at the end of 2016 placed it 18th among all 50 states. Our 1.8 breweries per capita makes us the 33rd-best in the nation. In terms of production, the 147,255 barrels of beer Arizona’s breweries made last year ranks 29th.

But numbers only tell half the story. There is fantastic beer here, says Josh Bernstein, author of Brewed Awakening: Behind the Beers and Brewers Leading the World's Craft Brewing Revolution and several other beer books. The problem: Nobody really knows about it. “Arizona is a lot like Alaska,” Bernstein says. “There’s a lot of great beer, but so much of it tends to stay in the state that unless they’re traveling, people aren’t going to hear much about it.”

So until more people become aware of the killer breweries that call Arizona home, there may never be a day when travelers are arranging a beer pilgrimage to Phoenix like they are to San Diego, Denver, Portland or Asheville. But that’s okay; for the people who already live here, there’s never been a better time to be a beer geek. More for us.